There was a beat of silence as Stahlin processed my words.

“What?”

“You are currently on an impromptu trial. With all the evidence of your crimes and I as the judge. You are receiving a verdict right now.”

I know this is sort of a kangaroo court but this is the only chance I can finally put a nail in Stahlin's coffin. I stood up from my throne.

“First of all, you are Prime Minister no longer. I also hereby revoke all your titles and your status as nobility. Your assets and properties are to be confiscated and returned to the Crown. All those descended from you, namely your son and daughter shall also be stripped of their nobility.”

There was a scream.

I glanced and saw Antoinnet had collapsed to the floor, her face had an expression of absolute horror. Well, for a pampered spoiled wench like her, becoming a commoner is perhaps a fate worse than death.

However, I have something else in store for her. So I ignored her and focused on Stahlin.

“And second…For all your crimes, both against your Monarch and the Empire I sentence you...to death!”

Realizing now that I had every intention of carrying out my verdict right this moment, Stahlin shouted in fury.

“NO! IT CAN’T END HERE!”

All of a sudden, the ice he was encased with shattered in an explosion of flames. The cronies nearest to him were caught up in the flames and were roasted. Their screams of agony as they were turned to ashes.

Humph. I don’t exactly have much of a pity for them as they were slated to be executed but they sure got the easy way out.

I already knew beforehand that he had kept a spare Magic Conduit in the form of a ring on his other arm. Why didn't I have it confiscated beforehand? Well, I was hoping it would escalate into a fight.

So I can have a reason to vent.

The fire began to snake around the stump of his left arm and formed a prosthetic made of flames. Got to say. It seems his Magic Abilities were nothing to laugh about. I'd love for someone to work under me. Too bad he was a villain.

Ah?!

Stahlin suddenly rushed at me like a bull! He's fast but I reacted faster. I was already in the middle of the hall with my mother in my arms. What? You aren't thinking I'd leave my mother there with a crazed maniac charging right at us? In case you haven't forgotten, mom was sitting right next to me?

We managed to avoid him but Stahlin caused a minor explosion when he landed at the thrones.

"Mom? Are you alright?"

"W-Wilthelm? How?"

I put her down on her feet. I won't say it because it was rude to a woman but she was quite heavy. I have the frame of pre-teen you know!

"Sir! Are you alright?"

A Night Lurker appeared right next to us.

"Your Majesty!" Leofold also ran to us but he was staring cautiously at the Night Lurker who appeared next to us.

"I'm fine, Strength, Sir Leofold. Both of you, guard my mother."

"Understood!"

"By your will!"

As the dust cleared, I saw Stahlin with a menacing grin. He was holding the Imperial Scepter and with it, the Star of Atlantasia mounted on it in his left hand.

There were gasps as everyone saw he was holding it. Naturally, there was an ancient enchantment that only someone within the main bloodline of the Imperial Family can wield the Sceptre. Normally it would’ve repelled him as Stahlin wasn’t descended from us. This situation would’ve bred a lot of questions about his actual lineage.

“Hehe...I should’ve done this earlier when I had the chance! But it doesn’t matter! Now the Heart is mine!” Stahlin laughed in triumph.

“That glove you’re wearing. The dye used was mixed with my father’s blood, isn’t that right?”

Stahlin’s look of triumph was smeared with surprise.

It seemed that he thought I would be yelling and questioning how he was wielding an ancient artifact that only a direct member of the Imperial Family could hold. Instead, I was calm and simply told him how he was able to wield it as though I already knew.

Which I did.

The dye was mixed with my Father’s blood. That’s one way to wield blood-protected Magic Items by masking the touch with another.

“From your response, it seems I was right...” I shrugged.

“What’s with that expression?! Well, it doesn’t matter. I now have the Heart. And with it! All of its great power is MINE!!! ALL WILL FALL BEFORE ME!!! AHAHAHAHAHAA!”

Wow, he’s playing the megalomaniac villain quite well.

“And the first thing I’ll do is to rid this world of the last blood member of the Imperial Family!”

Um...your daughter and my mother are also of the Imperial Bloodline, you know? I thought to myself. He was probably so drunk in his madness that he forgot that crucial fact.

“Your Majesty!” Sir Leofold ran towards me accompanied by several knights and the Night Lurkers.

“Stay where you all are and don’t interfere. This is between me and him.” I say to them.

“HAHAHAHA! Ever so gallant? Just like your father before I struck him down! Now die!”

He pointed the Scepter at me. The “Heart” glowed brightly and then...KABOOM!

The “Heart” exploded...and Stahlin was along with it. Well, to be precise his arm was holding it. And he officially lost both arms. The explosion sent him flying and into the wall.

There was a beat of silence after that.

“W-What….H-How-”

Even more of a surprise, even though Stahlin had lost both arms and taken an explosion at point-blank range he was still alive and conscious. Man, that guy sure had one heck of a defense stat plus pain resistance.

“Did you think I would be stupid enough to leave such a powerful and dangerous Magic Item lying around?”

I produced the real Imperial Sceptre out of nowhere like a magic trick. Well, to be precise, I stuffed it in my Hammerspace.

“You ain’t getting your grubby hands on it, that’s for sure. Err...not that you have any arms for that. But I have to say, I’m a bit surprised. That was a high-grade copy. It should still handle the Magic Power unless...Well, I better stuff this back in.”

I put the Imperial Sceptre back in my Hammerspace. I don’t need it.

“YOU DAMNED BRAT!”

An explosion of flames rages out of him once more. This time I saw the medallion he had been wearing glowing brightly. Flames engulfed him as they formed a pair of arms to replace them.

Wow, it seems he had a third Magic Conduit. This guy was prepared.

It would seem that Stahlin still had one more bit of fight in him.

“YOU WERE NOTHING MORE THAN A MERE PUPPET TO DO MY BIDDING!!!” He spat at me, his eyes full of rage and madness. ”ALL MY YEARS OF EFFORT TO MAKE ATLANTASIA MINE! GONE TO WASTE! I WILL MAKE YOU PAY-”

“Cut the soliloquy, and let’s get down to the fighting already.”

Oh, please. I’ve heard that line already so I cut him off midstream. Oh, dear? It would seem that he was getting even more pissed.

“WHY Y-YOU LITT-GugH!?”

He didn’t get the words out. Why?

I appeared right in front of him and gave him an uppercut right up the jaw augmented with Wind Magic that sent him flying through the roof. The expression on his face switching from rage to surprise was quite hilarious.

Well, it was on purpose.

Having an all-out fight in the Palace can cause a ton of collateral damage. I‘d like to minimize that, please. This is still technically my house. Who wants to wreck their own home?

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

“Argh, that man must have iron for a jaw bone.”

I said as I shook my hand.

“Anyhow, knights, make sure everyone here stays put. The Imperial Guard shall take over from the Night Lurkers in protecting the Dowager Empress. Night Lurkers, withdraw and proceed with the next phase.”

The Night Lurker agents nodded and quickly vanished into the shadows. The ones around my mother had also disappeared.

“Leofold, I leave my mother in your hands.” The Dog-beastman knight nodded.

“U-Understood, Sir. But what are you?”

“I going to deal with Stahlin once and for all...personally.”

“Wha?! But Sire-”

“That’s an order. Oh, and take care of this for me.”

I took the Imperial Crown off my head and tossed it like a frisbee right at him. Everyone shrieked as it flew in the air. Oh wow, that was a spectacular diving catch by Leofold. It seemed my aim was albeit wrong as Leofold wound up flat on his stomach in a sliding dogeza.

Ah, before that.

I stomped on the ground and activated my Hammerspace Magic once more.

This time, I instantly switched my entire outfit. What? You’re not thinking I’d go fight in a set of gaudy robes now do you? That huge carpet around my shoulders is dead weight.

I was now wearing a black naval-like uniform with a matching cape across my shoulders and a military cap. I’ll explain a little more about this outfit later.

The people who saw this transformation were speechless. I guess they’ve never seen magic like this before, huh?

And before anyone could say otherwise, I used a boost of Wind Magic to sprint towards the broken window.

"Wait, Your Majesty! What are you doing?! We are several floors above!"

Leofold yelled as I leaped out of the window. Once more, to everyone's shrieks.

Just a Leofold had mentioned, this hall was actually several stories above. Me jumping out of the window appeared as though I was about to commit suicide. So it was not surprising I heard loud screams when I jumped.

Well, that was until I quickly soared high into the air, instead of plummeting to the ground.

Yes, I can fly.

I stole a glance as I saw the gazes of shocked nobles (and probably the populace watching through the Broadcast Crystal.) I guess people haven't discovered how to fly using Magic yet either?

Well, then.

I turned my gaze towards my destination. I had used Wind Magic to carry that guy to a certain area of the Palace with a wider area.

It's time for a battle long in the waiting.